This Tuesday was World Mental Health Day. People all over the world shared personal stories and helped to raise awareness. The day encourages the millions who have suffered from poor mental health in one form or another to speak openly about their experiences and challenge the stigma which has caused so many to suffer in silence. When people speak out, we need to make sure that the right support is available. Right now, that is not the case for young people in Scotland’s schools.

Green MSP Mark Ruskell today welcomed comments from the leaders of both City of Edinburgh Council and Glasgow City Council on his proposed safer streets bill, which would reduce the default speed limit on residential roads to 20mph while allowing Councils to keep 30mph limits where appropriate.

Party conference season is upon us. With Theresa May’s farcical performance in Manchester earlier this week, every other leader can be confident that’d be hard put to do any worse. This weekend it’s the turn of the SNP, whose members will no doubt be eager for some positive, upbeat announcements to cheer.

The first of these was announced on Tuesday; the temporary moratorium on fracking and other forms of extreme energy production will be extended. These technologies will not be deployed in Scotland, and this will certainly feature prominently in the First Ministers speech.

Mark Ruskell MSP, Environment spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, today (5 Oct) used a debate on the Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses Bill to warn that the proposed legislation does not fully address animal welfare issues.

Green MSPs agreed to allow the Bill to proceed to the next stage of scrutiny and amendment.

The government’s green credentials were called into question again today when the First Minister was asked to reconsider her government’s position against creating a specialist environmental court, or tribunal, when the UK leaves the European Union.

Patrick Harvie MSP, Finance spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, said today's statement from Scottish Ministers about legal complexities relating to their aim to cut aviation tax is the latest nail in the coffin of a plan that has no social, economic or environmental credibility.

Greens have long campaigned against the proposed tax cut as analysis shows it will benefit wealthy frequent fliers, increase carbon emissions and there is no evidence of economic benefit.

Mark Ruskell MSP, Climate and Energy spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, today (5 Oct) used First Minister's Questions to challenge Nicola Sturgeon to strengthen the Scottish Government's position on fracking.

Earlier this week, following years of Green pressure, Scottish Ministers announced that the current temporary moratorium on unconventional gas extraction will be extended "indefinitely" as there is "no social licence at this time" but they did not commit to use planning policy, environmental regulations and licensing powers to rule out the technology for good.

Patrick Harvie MSP, Finance spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, has restated the Greens’ longstanding rejection of the Scottish Government’s plan to cut aviation tax, ahead of a statement on the issue from Scottish Ministers to Parliament this afternoon (2pm, 5 Oct).

A recent Survation survey of 1,000 Scots for the Green MSPs showed that, of those expressing an opinion, three out of four would rather the Scottish Government prioritised spending on everyday public transport such as buses and trains while just one in four support the Air Departure Tax cut.